LEAVENING APPARATUS FOR LEAVENING DOUGH PIECES, AND METHOD, IN PARTICULAR FOR OPERATING SUCH A LEAVENING APPARATUS

A leavening apparatus for leavening dough pieces comprises a leavening chamber for receiving dough pieces and a climate control module for controlling the climate in the leavening chamber for the leavening process. A control device for controlling the leavening process according to climate data detected in the leavening chamber is paired with the climate control module. The climate control module comprises a device for creating an air stream and a device for creating water aerosol to be entrained by the air stream. The leavening chamber has an upper inlet for the climate control media 'air' and 'moisture' provided by the climate control module, and a lower outlet the opening width of which can be adjusted. During operation, an air stream generated by the climate control module is introduced via said inlet into the leavening chamber, said air stream flowing out of the outlet of the leavening chamber. The leavening chamber further has one each of a temperature sensor, a moisture sensor and a CO2 and/or O2 sensor, said sensors being configured to transmit the detected climate data to the control device. A method for conditioning the climate in the leavening chamber of a leavening apparatus of this kind is also described.